one chance at our life work. It
never occurred to me before, but----"

"There!" exclaimed the Dead Man. "You caught _that_! Now, why can't you
get that message about Kathrien's marriage? Try, man! Try!"

"Kathrien," said McPherson, suddenly shifting from conjecture to
everyday conditions, "have you thought over what I said to you about
this marriage with Frederik?"

"He _did_ get it!" muttered Peter Grimm.

"Yes," rejoined Kathrien, "I have thought it over, Doctor. And I thank
you with all my heart. But----"

"Well?"

"I shall go on with it. I shall be married, just as Oom Peter wished me
to. I shan't go back on my promise."

McPherson growled in futile disgust.

"Don't give up, Andrew!" exhorted Peter Grimm. "Don't give up! _Make_
her see it your way. A girl can always change her mind. Try again.
_Andrew!_"

The last word was almost a cry. For McPherson, with a shrug of his
shoulders, accepted defeat in surly silence and was tramping across to
the hat rack, where he began to gather up his outdoor raiment.

"Oh, Andrew! _Andrew!_" he pleaded, following him up. "Don't throw away
the fight so easily! Tell her to----"

"Good-bye, Kathrien," said the doctor at the threshold. "If you choose
to make toad-pie of your life, it's no business of mine. I'll drop in
later for a good-night look at Willem."

"Good-night, Doctor," answered Kathrien, "and--thank you again."

With a wordless grunt, McPherson went out, leaving Peter Grimm staring
hopelessly after him.

"I see I can't depend on _you_, Andrew," murmured the Dead Man, "in
spite of your psychic lore and your belief in my return. Why is it they
can all understand--or _half_ understand--the unimportant things I say,
and yet be deaf to my message? It is like picking out the simple words
in a foreign book and then not know what the story is about.
Marta--Kathrien--McPherson--they all fail me. I must find some other
way."

He turned slowly toward the door of the office. The door almost
immediately opened and James Hartmann came into the room. The young man
had a pen behind his ear and a half-written memorandum of sales in his
hand. He had evidently risen from his work and entered the living-room
on an unplanned impulse.

Kathrien had seated herself in a chair by the fire and was gazing
drearily into the red embers.

"Look at her, lad!" breathed Peter Grimm. "She is so pretty--so
young--so lonely! Look! There are kisses tangled in that gold hair of
hers whe